Making a Case for the Beauty Dish
When posting on my four favorite soft light mods, I included a beauty dish but lamented the necessity of a dedicated case to keep it from getting scuffed up. Dishes aren't cheap to begin with, and neither are decent cases.
Problem solved...
L.A.-based photographer Mariusz Jeglinski chimed in with a great tip in the comments and I filed it away to post about when the time was right. This week, the time is right. And Mariusz' tip is to use an inexpensive Christmas wreath case to store and transport your beauty dishes.
Make it Better
At under $10, you can splurge with a couple bucks more for some mattress-topper foam for more protection. Or go whole-hog, adding to that an interior shell of repurposed coroplast sign material between the wreath case and the foam. After all, we are heading into election season, if you haven't heard. So there is gonna be plenty of free coroplast to be had.
Ten bucks too much? Keep an eye out for super-cheap wreath cases when the craft stores start to clear out their holiday merch. Anyone out there who builds a spiffy version, hit us with an image link in the comments.
And yes, there's a speedlight in the dish inside the case for the picture. 'Cause beauty dishes in cases don't glow all by themselves.
Awesome tip, Mariusz. Many thanks.
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Posted at 9:00 AM.
25 Comments:
A good smile from this... Because "Beauty dishes don't glow on their own"...
I use a bicycle wheel case, but this is MUCH cheaper! Great idea.
Didn't check your suggestions, but as a drummer, the first idea that comes to mind if I needed to find a cheap case for a beauty dish would be a cymbal case, depending on the size of your beauty dish (see any online or offline music store).
Or if you like to travel and arrive in style you can purchase a drum case from the local music store then using an electric turkey knife you cut 2 round sections out of foam for the top and bottom to cushion your beauty dish. The black ballistic nylon of the case matches all your other black photography gear cases.
I found that sparetire storage cases (made from tarp) found at a dollarama were also perfect for BD's. I have the larger AB one.
Also, it's a $1.
Loving this!! I am always trying to save my duckets when possible so thank you!!!
Awesome! Since I spent the better part of my Christmas Break last year lovingly making my own DIY Beauty Dish, I am naturally quite protective of it. But hauling it to shoots in a large cardboard box was pretty embarrassing. Ironically, this box was the box I used to keep my Christmas Wreath in before I left my wreath to fend for itself & stole its box in order to protect my Beauty Dish - I swear! Who knew the better (and far more stylin') solution was so very close to what I was using?!?!? My new Holiday Wreath Bag has been ordered! Thanks.... Janine
Nice work Mariusz. BTW - He's one of the Original L.A. Strobists (Here he is at a meet up in '09- Check the 2:50 mark http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6kS7SPmjl0 ).
Ah, I remember him when...
You can also find padded cases (used) for bicycle wheels fairly cheap on you local Craigslist site.
Just a thought...
i'm currently using a collapsible beauty dish which negates the problem
A lot of the big box stores sell a hard plastic version of the wreath storage box. They are very sturdy but the depth of the beauty dish can be a problem if it is to deep. I bought one at Target and use it with my Paul C Buff dish and it works great.
I use drum cases or bags from places like guitar center
I use drum bags or cases found at places like guitar center
I assume that I'm the only person who read the headline and expected to read a cogent, compelling argument to use beauty dishes.
I use a drum bag and it's perfect. It's padded and everything. I can even latch a shoulder strap to it to free up my hands when hauling all my gear.
They even sell hard plastic wreath boxes that might worth even better. Worth checking out. Anyone tried it?
made my own from scratch.
bonus of an industrial sewing machine.
When I ordered the Lumodi dish (Excellent dish BTW) it arrived in a case that looked oddly familiar. Yup, it was a pizza delivery bag. Already insulated/padded with handles on top and hook and loop closure on the flap.
"I got an order for 50 beauty dishes to this address"
Judging from the erm... peculiar items in the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought"-list, many Strobists have already caught on... XD
http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/1567/screenshotamazonstrobis.jpg
Judging from the erm... peculiar items in the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought"-list, many Strobists have already caught on... XD
http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/1567/screenshotamazonstrobis.jpg
Hi Mr. H - thanks for the Strobist love :) Wish you, and everyone a Happy Christmas and all Best in New Year!
Great solution! Thanks for sharing it, Dave :)
@Komo Photos- I like to save my ducats. Are Duckets attractive female ducks?
;)
You might also try a padded cymbal case. They range in price depending on protection level you want, but are mostly between $25-70 and give a ton o' padding.
or you could jut buy a beauty dish bag for $36 from B&H and get a well made product with a warranty...I know that is not in the DIY spirit...but $10 of materials + 2 hours of my time is worth more than $36 to me!
I had been using this Christmas Wreath Bag about an year or more for my Profoto beauty dish. I love it. You can pop in your grid, some reflectors to make the bag more full and the dish stays secure.
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